Nelson-Henry bows out against Dragons
Darien Nelson-Henry will end a memorable career in basketball as Hemel Storm host Yorkshire Dragons this Saturday. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the match…
Head-to-Head Record:
Games played: 12
Storm wins: 7
Dragons wins: 5
*All competitions, since start of 2021/22 season.
**Includes games against Bradford Dragons, the club’s former name.
British Championship Basketball League Positions:
Storm: 11th
Dragons: 5th
Opposition Scout Report:
Chris Mellor’s men may be reeling from last weekend’s BCB Trophy final defeat, but they have already guaranteed their playoff position in the league.
They’ve won six of their last seven in the competition and possess a well-coached roster filled with talent.
Late addition Jordan Jefferson has hit the ground running since touching down from Atlanta in February, leading their scoring with an average of 21.8 points across his six games.
In Corey Johnson, Jordan Whelan and Logan Rooney, they have a solid wealth of experience from Britain’s top-two flights. Johnson’s been at the likes of Leicester Riders and Derby Trailblazers and is averaging 18.8 points for the Dragons this season.
David Ulph is their big man and he’s pulled down a huge 13.3 rebounds per game so far, alongside 12.1 points.
Memorable Meeting:
Saturday 14th January, 2023
NBL Division One
Bradford Dragons 93-131 Hemel Storm
A shooting extravaganza blitzed Storm past the Dragons in their first league outing of 2023, connecting with 29 three-pointers to secure a dominant 38-point triumph.
A 33-5 second-quarter run saw Storm post 74 first-half points, bringing up three figures before the end of the third and going on to maintain their unbeaten record with a 131-93 victory.
Americans Seth Swalve and Taylor Johnson starred, grabbing 28 and 25 points respectively, while hometown boy Jack Burnell had 20.
They were crowned National Cup champions the following week, later picking up the NBL Division One regular season and playoff trophies, as well as the KitKing Trophy, without losing a game.
Last Time Out:
A lacklustre first half proved costly as title-chasing Newcastle Knights claimed a 119-104 win at the StormDome.
They conceded 67 in the opening 20 minutes to trail by 21 at the interval, unable to deal with the quality displayed by the second-placed Northerners.
But they responded, briefly threatening a comeback as they won the second half to reduce the final arrears to 15.
Brayden Inger’s form continued in what has been a fine campaign, posting 27 points, with the hosts seeing Sam Newman and
Darien Nelson-Henry ejected before the final buzzer.
The Dragons suffered heartbreak in the inaugural BCB Trophy final, losing 66-85 to Birmingham Rockets.
They could not get their offence to fire, with Ulph top scoring with just 12 points in an attritional silverware battle.
A total of 27 first-half points put them behind the pace, and they could not recover as they missed out on the season’s first trophy at Harvey Hadden Sports Village.
From The Locker Room:
Darien Nelson-Henry, ahead of the final game of his career: “As you may have seen or heard, this will be the final home game of my career.
“I hope you guys will all be able to make it out to wish me a farewell, but if you’re not able to, then it’s been great getting to know you all across the course of the season.
“I’ll definitely pop my head in every once in a while to say ‘what’s up’.
“I hope to see you there on Saturday, go Storm, and I hope to get this last win!”
When, Where and How to Follow:
Tip-off at the StormDome is at 7pm. To secure your tickets as we wave goodbye to Darien Nelson-Henry, in what is also the penultimate game of Jack Burnell’s career, head to the Fanbase app.
Alternatively, you can follow along using the livestream or livestats.
Written by Callum Humphrey
